rose tourist trap meaning

Tourist Traps: How to Recognize and Avoid them

We have all heard the term “tourist trap” but it is easier to get caught in one than you may expect. Even highly experienced travelers will get stuck in a tourist trap from time to time and in some scenarios, tourist traps are virtually unavoidable. However, there is definitely a difference between a tourist trap and a situation where there are no other options available; therefore, the establishment, service etc. is simply taking advantage of that fact. These scenarios are quite easily recognizable, so we do not believe it is necessary to go into further detail.

The Restaurant: A Classic Tourist Trap

The most common tourist trap comes in the form of eating establishments. This is more than just a restaurant jacking up the rates simply because they are in a heavily crowded area. Obviously, any larger city will have higher rent and property taxes in high traffic areas, which forces restaurant owners to raise their rates to keep up with the finances. However, this does not mean that the rates need to be unreasonable or include hidden costs.

The example he most well remembers is from a trip he took with his parents, where they found themselves hungry in Brussels, Belgium. The majority of their time was spent in the high-traffic, largely touristic areas. There is a street near the historical district which features nothing but restaurants; all of which fall under the term “tourist trap”. Every one of these establishments had a sign out front featuring a three course meal for a great rate. In addition to that, almost every one of them had an employee standing out front literally begging you to come in and take advantage of the fantastic deal. Many people simply fall victim to the pressure and just sit down. After all, we are tourists. How are we supposed to know where the locals eat and where to find the best deals?

Now, these establishment owners are smart. These employees standing out front selling visitors on dining at their restaurant are a sneaky way to keep people from noticing their other trick, which is the most obvious sign you are being duped. Almost every restaurant will have a menu outside, where potential customers can be enticed by the delicious selection of food and determine if the rates are reasonable. This is common practice for many restaurants and not a sign of a tourist trap. What one needs to note, however, is the cost of drinks.

If you are perusing a menu outside of the restaurant and there is no page including drink prices, run. Furthermore, if there is a drink listing and you do not see prices next to the selections, run. This most often means that you will be paying double or triple the standard rate—a cost you will not be made aware of until you are handed the check at the end of your meal. Likewise, if it is a menu that one can flip through, the drink pages may be listed in unusual places. In searching for the drink selection, one will often look in the very front or the very back of the menu first. Restaurant owners know this; therefore, the clever establishment will hide the drink listing somewhere in the middle of the menu, behind all of the pages listing their amazing lunch and dinner specials. Before you reach this page, however, you will have already been ambushed by the above mentioned employee (sometimes restaurant owner) whose job it is to keep you from catching on to the dupe until it’s too late. Americans may be used to restaurants not providing drink prices and therefore, will not think twice about such a thing, but that is not common practice in Europe and it is nevertheless something one should look out for when traveling in the United States.

Finally, after sitting down to take advantage of the deal, you will be served unimaginably small portions that will leave you needing to eat again within the next couple of hours. Obviously, once it gets to this point, you are beyond being saved and the trap was a success. This is exactly what happened to him and his parents. He quickly noticed the trap, based on the lack of drink prices in the menu, but by that point, it was already too late and they were sitting down and ordering. Just as with his case, most people are simply too nice to just get up and leave after noticing the trap.

If the restaurant has passed all of these tests and you find yourself in a seemingly honest establishment, you should still pay attention to what is included with the meal. In many restaurants, it is implied that your meal is served with sides, but if it is not indicated, you should always ask. Especially in tourist areas, you may find yourself paying a normal price for a complete dish, only to find out that that lasagna you ordered is only a single slice on an otherwise empty plate, which is charged at the rate of a meal which would normally at least include breadsticks, if not a side salad.

How to Avoid Tourist Traps

Now that you are aware of some of the most common things to watch out for, you should know that the easiest thing to do is to just walk away before entering. Even if the establishment is pressuring you to enter, simply ignore them or say something like “we are just looking for later.” The next problem is finding a place to eat before the hunger emotions come out and cause arguments amongst your group or family. Obviously, it is difficult to go and look at every single menu outside of the multiple restaurants, so one of our suggestions is just to walk in a direction away from the main tourist areas until you find a place you’d like to eat. This is another way to help you explore the city like a local.

The most obvious thing you can do is look on any review website to find the local favorites. You will also find plenty of restaurant reviews from travelers, who will often tell you exact prices and expectations of menu items. This is how we were directed to an amazing burger in the touristy city of Heidelberg .

There are many things to look out for when traveling to avoid spending more money than necessary. We hope that this article will help you spot some of the most obvious indicators associated with tourist traps and help you avoid falling prey to such establishments. If you are interested in some tips for traveling on a budget, be sure to read our General Travel Tips and Tricks .

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A travel and photo blog by world traveler jeff bell.

The Rose Scam

• Florence Scams , Italy , Italy Travel , Rome Scams , Rose Vendor Scam in Italy , Scams , Travel Cartoons , Travel Safety , Venice Scams

It is straight out of every girl’s Italian fantasy. She is at an iconic landmark like the Spanish Steps, the Rialto Bridge or the Piazza Navone, and she is approached by a handsome, charming Latin Lover with a bad boy look but a soft heart.

He tells her she is beautiful. He offers her a rose. She takes it. She rides on the back of his motorbike all over Rome, they fall in love, get married and have a giant wedding and live happily ever after.

It starts out like this:

This above scene does play out countless times per day in Rome, Venice and Florence, as young men approach tourists and offer them a rose, trying to steal their hearts, or scam them out of a few Euros, to be precise.

After getting the rose, the girl takes a closer look to realize the man who just gave her the rose is not the Latin Lover of her dreams, but a guy from India or Bangladesh. And he wants money for the rose.

Usually, the girl isn’t single and does not fall in love with the man, but does want the rose. The rose giver then refuses to take the rose back and asks for small money, badgering the boyfriend for the cash if she won’t pay up.

At the Spanish Steps, I caught this tricky maneuver on camera. This may be the first time the Rose Hustle has been photographed, so I will probably win an award in investigative journalism for this.

The Italian Rose Scam

As you can see above, the unwitting blonde tourist has taken the rose from the vendor and is trying to give it back. The boy gives the universal thumbs up sign saying he only needs small money.

Rose Hustle Fail

The Rose Hustle does not always go according to plan. I saw some pretty serious arguments break out between would-be vendors and would-be rose takers. Below, I captured a scam gone awry.

Why Not Sell the Roses Straight Up?

Watching this charade begs the question: Why not simply sell the roses to the tourists? I guess that has been tried to no avail. The laws of economics lead me to believe that this way is more successful than simply selling the roses.

Having been to India last year, I learned to pretty much not talk to anyone trying to sell anything, anywhere. So we Bells didn’t get scammed. I have evidently learned from my past mistakes . And Kristi already has a Latin-ish Lover in the form of me, so she wasn’t tempted.

If you find yourself on the Spanish Steps of Rome, with romance in the air, accept the rose at your own risk.

H ave you ever accepted a rose from a local boy, fallen madly in love and had a storybook love affair? 

Have you ever been hustled for your money with the ruse of romance? 

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• February 24, 2014

Lol, the illustrations are funny. I was almost a victim of this in nyc once–my friend stopped it before I even knew what was happening. I guess she knew this trick since she studied abroad in Rome!

I am glad you were not a victim. You would have been heart broke and swindled at the same time.

Great investigative journalism! It sure would be frustrating to deal with that sort of thing.

It is very annoying but also fun to watch if not involved.

Love this, and it’s especially helpful since I’ll be staying near the Spanish Steps in a few weeks. However, as a general rule, I never take anything anyone hands to me because I know that there are usually strings attached. Love the drawings and great journalism!

• February 25, 2014

You are a wise girl for not taking things. But now I fear that you may ignore the Latin Lover of your dreams and miss out on your one true love while in Rome.

It’s shame this stuff happens but it happens every where. This didn’t happen in to us in Rome but I remember a purse snatcher in Paris who had an eye on my wife’s purse while I had my arm around her. I kept looking to my left, out of the corner of my eye until he gave up. On another brazen note, I am still amazed at the prostitute who was propositioning men with there girlfriends as they walked by on a New York city street corner years ago.

Dan – That is a brazen prostitute! Times must have been hard on her corner.

An extremely pushy rose peddler forced a rose in my hand at the Spanish Steps. When he asked for money, I tried to give back the rose. When he wouldn’t take the rose back, I kept it and walked off! He lost on that deal! But I also had a rose I really didn’t want.

Elodie – that is awesome. He didn’t chase you down and take back the rose? I did witness that once.

I still don’t understand why they don’t simply sell the roses.

Jeff. I was afraid he’d chase after me but I was mad and took off in such a hurry it was pointless for him to follow. Lose, lose for him!

• April 1, 2014

I did get scammed with this today. I wasn’t really prepared for it (as it was on a busstop in finland, in the middle of winter and im a bit socially awkward tbh) I had given him 2 euros but he kept asking for “a bit more”. I then pushed the rose back and he quickly walked of with the money still on him. I’m feeling a bit bitter about it, but I guess it cant be helped anymore.

• April 2, 2014

Tina, I call that being a little poorer but a little wiser. You know for next time.

Good to see that this happens in Finland in the winter too. The scam is spreading.

I trust that you will now be a faithful reader of this blog so things like this don’t happen to you again 🙂

• May 19, 2014

Bel reportage! E mille grazie per il link… 🙂

• July 2, 2014

Hahaha my wife and I have been in Venice for the past few days, and rose scammers are everywhere. One of them tried to pretend he was crippled to try to get some pity, but walked off just fine after we refused to take the rose. It was a pretty bad act. They always insist the rose is for free, and after you take one, they hang around for a few minutes and talk to you and eventually try to guilt you into paying for the rose, which they forced into your hand in the first place. We were approached 4 times by the same one during a period of three days on one of the bridges over the Grand Canal. The forth time my wife had had enough. When the man gave her the rose and insisted it was free, she thanked him and then threw it into the canal, and said it looked beautiful on the water. He gave of a pretty mortified look and tried to guilt us into paying for the rose, but we didn’t pay. We felt no guilt, since he told us it was a free gift, so we figured we could do whatever we wanted with it once be gave it to us 🙂

• July 3, 2014

That is awesome! I bet he was shocked to see it float away. Again, why not just try to sell the rose to someone?

• August 8, 2014

In Crete they had not caught on to this scam yet. Instead, it is little children attempting to sell you the roses, and they fail quite miserably. They badger, hound, follow you around, attempting to guilt you into buying a rose from them since they’re a poor little kid… I can see why, with their rate of failure, that they would resort to the technique you brought up in mainland Europe. Thankfully, after just traveling by myself through some areas of Portugal, Spain, France, and Croatia, I was never approached by anyone attempting to force a rose on me. By the way, though, those same “poor children” walk off, messing with their smart phones…

Interesting. I did not have any trouble with kids in Crete (I was mainly in Hania). I never, ever give anything to kids because I feel like they are being exploited or learning bad habits.

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• August 20, 2018

Just drop it and walk off, it really isn’t that hard. No one had a gun pointed at their head!

You are on to something here! It may be rude, but it is also rude to give someone a rose then expect money!

• October 25, 2019

Oh, this reminds me of the airport in Argentina. When I arrived I thought I was paying for a taxi but apparently there were people hanging around waiting to “find” you a taxi. When I told the driver I had already paid his “partner” he had a fit. I imagine he went back and found his “partner” to get his share. They didn’t have roses there but they had little colorful cards they “gave away”. But mine never asked for money and I didn’t know he wasn’t just flirting.

• November 12, 2019

Ha, that is a good scam. I’d like to say I never fall for these things, but I still get swindled from time to time. Thanks for sharing.

• December 9, 2019

Ugh. Financial gain in the name of love and romance? I want to say I’ve heard it all, but I know I haven’t…

• February 15, 2021

My girlfriend and I came across a guy trying to pull this stunt about 7 years ago. We didn’t get it, he tried to put the rose in her hands and we were just completely confused (probably the language barrier). We didn’t pay anything and because of our ignorance, we made him look like a complete fool in public. He did not like that, so he walked away.

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• July 30, 2023

We just landed in Venice (30/7/23) and the sun was setting. I was offered a bunch of roses for free and the man got angry when I did not accept. I do not accept anything for free. Then two more times it happened on the way back to our hotel. We didn’t know what the scam was so I’ve just Googled it and ended up here. Why don’t the police move them on? Very annoying. Thanks for the article.

• August 8, 2023

You’d think the police might stop this since it is obvious harassment! Plus, I’m sure they don’t have a business license.

• August 30, 2023

Similar scam in Covent Garden in London. There was a woman costumed as a Victorian flower -seller who appeared to be a reenactor giving away “flowers” made with crepe paper. She stuck it in my hand as AI walked by and I said “ummm…Thank you…” and started to walk away… She started yelling at me and demanding 5£ (pre Euro). I tried to hand it back to her but she was screaming at me that I was trying to steal. My husband gave her the money and then gave ME heck after. How was I supposed to know it was a scam?

I still have it.

• September 18, 2023

Haha, I’m glad you still have it. I think these people could devote their energy to doing legit business and be really successful. I don’t get why they keep the scam going when it obviously leads to fights and arguments. Thanks for sharing.

We encountered children ostensibly trying to sell a crumpled poster outside the Louvre in Paris. We had seen them up ahead sticking the poster in the face of a family of tourists ahead. They would stick it in the face of one of the people and crowd around asking for money. Meanwhile while the person was trying to figure out what they wanted, several others were trying to pick the pockets of the rest of the group.

We tried to warn the people but they looked at us like we were rude and the woman said “Their just little kids!”

I said they’re scamming you AND trying to pick your pockets!” But she wouldn’t listen. They probably paid for the poster AND got robbed.

The next day we ran into the same kids and they tried it on us but I just yelled at them in French.

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tourist trap

Definition of tourist trap

Examples of tourist trap in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tourist trap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1942, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near tourist trap

tourist season

Cite this Entry

“Tourist trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tourist%20trap. Accessed 22 Jun. 2024.

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Tourist trap

| Grammarist

Tourist trap is an idiom that has been in use since the mid-1900s. We will examine the meaning of the idiom tourist trap , where it came from, and some examples of its use in sentences.

A tourist trap is a roadside attraction that caters to travelers. Generally, a tourist trap is a place where one may partake of an activity that is not considered edifying and then may buy cheap trinkets to take home as souvenirs. A tourist trap exists solely for entertainment that is usually lowbrow . For instance an art museum is not considered a tourist trap , but a museum dedicated to the world’s largest ball of string or a go-kart track are considered tourist traps. Most people who stop at tourist traps understand what they are getting into and enjoy the silliness of the attraction. The plural form is tourist traps . Primarily an American phenomenon in the early years, the idiom tourist trap came into use in the 1940s, presumably when the average family began to take vacations on the open road.

Examples A red Jeep Grand Cherokee abandoned on Myrtle Beach became somewhat of a tourist trap on Thursday as Hurricane Dorian bore down on the Carolinas. ( The Washington Examiner ) As a fortress, it was useless, but as an iconic tourist trap destination it’s been priceless. ( The Herald Banner) This weekend’s issue of The New York Times Magazine features the discarded Adickes remnants of a former tourist trap called President’s Park. ( Houstonia Magazine ) A tourist trap can be a city (Prague), an attraction (Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco), a purpose-built resort (Cancun) or a cheap tuk-tuk ride that involves a detour to a gem shop. ( The South China Morning Post )

Here are some idioms we have covered:

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tourist trap noun

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What does the noun tourist trap mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun tourist trap . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

How common is the noun tourist trap ?

Where does the noun tourist trap come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun tourist trap is in the 1930s.

OED's earliest evidence for tourist trap is from 1939, in the writing of Graham Greene, author.

tourist trap is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: tourist n. , trap n. 1

Nearby entries

• tourist flight, n. 1959–
• tourist guide, n. 1924–
• touristic, adj. 1848–
• touristical, adj. 1863–
• touristically, adv. 1928–
• touristing, n. 1883–
• tourist park, n. 1927–
• touristry, n. 1878–
• touristship, n. 1849–
• tourist track, n. 1912–
• tourist trap, n. 1939–
• Tourist Trophy, n. 1907–
• touristy, adj. 1906–
• tourize, v. 1837–
• tour jeté, n. 1935–
• tourmaline, n. 1760–
• tourmalinic, adj. 1880–
• tourmalinite, n. 1896–
• tourmalinization, n. 1899–
• tourmalinize, v. 1899–
• tourmente, n. 1847–

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Meaning & use

Entry history for tourist trap, n..

Originally published as part of the entry for tourist, n.

tourist, n. was first published in 1913; not yet revised.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

A Supplement to the OED, Volume IV (1986)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View tourist in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for tourist trap, n., browse entry.

Idioms Meaning

tourist trap

Tourist Trap

An idiom used to describe a place that is designed to attract tourists, but is usually overpriced and of low quality.

I can’t believe how much money I wasted at that tourist trap!

Be careful when you travel – the city is full of tourist traps!

Originates from the 18th century when travelers were frequently taken advantage of due to their unfamiliarity with the area.

8 warning signs you’re about to visit a tourist trap

• When traveling to a new destination, you can easily end up at a tourist trap. But if you keep your eye out for a few red flags, you can avoid the tourists. 
• You need to avoid places that are popular on Instagram and have hashtags. 
• Long lines, crowded areas, and gift shops are also red flags you should look out for. 
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories .

Merriam Webster defines a tourist trap as " a place that attracts and exploits tourists." It's easy to fall into a tourist trap while traveling .

When experiencing a new city, you can get drawn into famous landmarks, expensive restaurants, and crowded areas. Before long, you've wasted money and time at inauthentic and even overrated establishments. 

But there are ways to avoid these touristy spots by looking out for these red flags while traveling. 

If a landmark, restaurant, or even a city is overcrowded and filled with people, you've probably ended up at a tourist trap 

Elizabeth Becker, author of "Overbooked: The Global Business of Travel and Tourism," said a good rule of thumb is if "the crowds at the monuments or beaches resemble the hordes of Black Friday shoppers in the USA," then that should be a red flag. In fact, she refused to go to the temples at Angkor in Cambodia because the crowds ruined a place that was supposed to be sacred and holy.

If you're only staying around famous landmarks, then you're going to fall into tourist traps 

When visiting a new city, it's easy to get trapped at some of the biggest and most famous landmarks that everyone wants to see, and then you'll end up at touristy hotels and restaurants. 

"I always want to see the main tourist spot in a city, but never have that as my main reason for visiting," Katy Rebrovich, an agent at CIRE Travel , told INSIDER. "What is a trip to Rome without seeing the Colosseum, after all? But once you've seen it, get off the beaten track and really explore. In major tourist cities, you have to work for the secret spots, but it's worth it."

If a destination or landmark keeps popping up in your social media feeds, then it's probably for tourists

Whether it be pictures of people soaking in the  hot springs in Iceland or selfies at Chicago's Bean, we repeatedly see the same pictures on Instagram and Facebook from friends' travels. That should be a red flag. 

Related stories

"My least favorite part about an Insta-famous destination is the type of crowd it tends to attract," Christy Woodrow of Ordinary Traveler told INSIDER. "I have found people are often disrespectful, they don't bother learning any phrases of the local language, and they are only there to take a photo ... It's actually quite a different experience than a place that's gotten famous because of something other than Instagram."

Read more: 9 warning signs you're about to eat at a bad restaurant

Likewise, if the landmark or restaurant has its own hashtag, you should stay away 

"Anything that has become so popular that it has its own hashtag is a pretty blatant sign that you're about to walk into a tourist trap," Megan Jerrard, the avid traveler of Mapping Megan , told INSIDER. She said you should especially be aware of locations that have multiple hashtags, like the Eiffel Tower with its hashtags #EiffelTower, #EiffelToweratnight, and #EiffelTowerview.

"I'm not saying completely avoid these places, but just be realistic about the fact that you're going to stand in lines, possibly for hours, be pushing past a sea of girls in pretty dresses while their Insta husband takes photos from a million different angles, and have hawkers yelling at you to buy their #EiffelTower key chains," Jerrard said. 

If the location you're heading to has a gift shop, it's a tell-tale sign that it's a tourist trap

Restaurants like Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Cafe are well-known tourist traps, and they both have expensive gift shops. Jerrard said you should stay away from these.

"If you can buy a replica of the landmark you're visiting on a key chain or immortalized in a snow globe, that's a pretty big red flag that it's going to be swarming with tourists," she told INSIDER. 

Similarly, if there are more t-shirt shops than local crafts in the town or city, you should reconsider your destination 

One of the best ways to experience a new culture is through their local crafts. But if you only see generic t-shirt shops selling shirts that are similar to "I Love NY," then you're in a tourist trap, Becker said. 

If blogs and travel guides say you should only visit at a certain time of the year, then it's probably a tourist destination 

Amy Brueckner of CIRE Travel agency said that places like Disney World and Cancun have specific times of year when they see a big influx of people. During those seasons, those places might be worth avoiding. Places that aren't tourist traps don't have a specific time of year that you should avoid. 

If a person is outside an establishment telling people to come inside, it's most likely a tourist trap

Some restaurants or entertainment spots have a person outside whose goal is to get people off the street and into the establishment. Brueckner said these people are called hawkers and should be avoided because the only people who would actually step inside are tourists. 

"If a restaurant is good, they don't need to beg people to eat there," she told INSIDER." I was in Seville, Spain, last week and had this experience walking down the main tourist street on the way to the cathedral. Waiters were out on the street trying to wave you in. Once off the main drag, however, it was a quieter experience and we found more authentic restaurants."

• 11 US attractions that tourists love but locals hate
• The worst tourist trap in every state
• 17 under-the-radar alternatives to major tourist destinations
• 16 places around the world that are being ruined by tourism

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Definition of tourist trap noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

tourist trap

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The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

Alex Livesey/FIFA via Getty Images

Ah, the traveler’s debacle: To follow the crowd to major, must-see sights knowing they’ll be met with overpriced services, entertainment, food, and souvenirs — or to avoid these sites completely and search out hidden gems void of other tourists. To some, visiting Paris without going up the Eiffel Tower isn’t seeing Paris , while to others, the complete opposite is true. 

It’s a question — or way of traveling — that isn’t always black-and-white. Most of us want to see the major sites — preferably without giant tour groups and overpriced crêpe stands — and stumble upon authentic places that few others will get to experience. So when is it worth following the crowd to a site you really want to see, even though it’s probably a tourist trap?

One user on Reddit , u/MarathonMarathon, posed that question , noting that for them, the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel in Shanghai was a tourist trap they ended up genuinely liking. “It's basically this short 5-minute tourist trap light show tram thing that takes you across the Huangpu River from the Bund to Pudong, with bizarre voice-overs. Sort of like some Disney attraction, but sadder, the very epitome of a kitsch tourist trap.”

The Reddit community responded, sharing the tourist-trap-inclined sites and tours that they genuinely liked and would recommend to others. Below are the “best” responses in order:

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour — Niagara Falls, U.S.

The 20-minute Maid of the Mist boat tour, which claims to be “the original Niagara Falls boat tour” — takes travelers to the foot of Niagara Falls where they can feel the power of 600,000 gallons of water crashing down and enjoy the resulting mist.

“You wait in line forever, the boat is packed, it seems cheesy ... and then you get up to the Falls and feel their power, you realize that the boat has the engine running at full power yet it struggles against the current and you realize that yeah, this is awesome,” said u/twoeightnine.

Original Sound of Music bus tour — Salzburg, Austria

The Original Sound of Music bus tour takes travelers through Salzburg, where "The Sound of Music" movie was filmed. The bus visits Mirabell Garden and Pegasus Fountain, where Maria and the children danced in the movie; Schloss Leopoldskron, the house, where the Trapp Family lived; and Church Mondsee, where Maria and Baron von Trapp got married, along with other sites.

User u/opuntialantana said the four-hour journey included, “Glorious views, drinks, snacks, and a Maria von Trapp lookalike leading us in singalongs as we drove from one filming location to the next. It was cheesy and it was perfect.”

Hobbiton Movie Set Tours — Matamata, New Zealand

At Hobbiton , visitors can walk through the lush pastures of the Shire and through the movie set used in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" film trilogies. The part-bus, part-walking tour includes visits to the series’ most famous locations, including the Hobbit Hole where Bilbo and Frodo Baggins lived. 

The 2.5-hour tour ends with a visit to the Green Dragon Inn , where a free drink concludes the tour of Middle-earth.

Guinness Storehouse — Dublin

The home of Ireland’s most iconic beer offers daily self-guided tours that include entry to the Guinness tasting rooms and a pint of Guinness. If you’re a true beer or Guinness connoisseur, you can opt for a “ premium experience ,” like a guided tasting with storytelling or a tour through the brewery’s historic sites — including their famous underground tunnels.

“When anyone came to visit [sic] me I always took them there; it never got old! It’s a well-curated museum and of course, the tap room is always fun to go to. Also, all my Irish friends were happy to go with me when I first moved there so it seems to be well-liked among people that live there too,” said u/tcpower2.

Hofbräuhaus München — Munich

Reddit user u/Triple10X said they initially went to Hofbräuhaus München “just to say that we've been there.” But after visiting several smaller German beer halls they felt that Hofbräuhaus was the best. 

The three-floor beer hall has a Bavarian restaurant and ongoing shows that take place in a historic, 16th-century building. According to u/Triple10X, “The food we got was phenomenal, the beer was obviously good and the atmosphere was eclectic with multiple couples around us all talking to each other in different languages.”

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• be the armpit of something idiom
• inhospitably
• sausage machine
• the Black Hole of Calcutta

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What is a Tourist Trap?

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A tourist trap is a business or group of businesses that aim to gain money from people visiting a specific area. The term may be used negatively, though occasionally visiting a tourist trap can be very desirable. If one wishes to buy mementos of one’s trip for example, the tourist trap may offer sweatshirts, mugs, or refrigerator magnets that seem perfect.

Residents of an area where a tourist trap may exist often use the term tourist trap negatively. For example, San Franciscans may deplore certain areas of the city as tourist trap areas. Such areas include Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39, as well as parts of Chinatown. Since these areas include numerous retail and dining establishments, they do bring income to the city via taxes. However, San Franciscans tend to prefer visiting areas that are not awash with tourists.

Some areas have few residents and are really designed for tourists, like Niagara Falls. Whole sections of both Reno and Las Vegas in Nevada are meant for people visiting. Often these tourist trap areas offer a high mark-up on souvenir items and food. The big casinos, for example, are generally not known for the best food. Locals in both areas may be disinclined to point to the best local restaurants and shops because then these too might become tourist traps.

Other tourist trap candidates are amusement parks, monuments, museums, and historical sites. However, local residents may enjoy these as well, depending upon whether the cost of going to such a place is reasonable.

Many savvy tourists enjoy an authentic experience of the places they visit, so they tend to avoid overtly tourist trap environments. One can also note considerable mark-up of prices for services around tourist areas. For example, near the large hotels and docks in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, it costs about 20 US dollars (USD) to take a taxi to the middle of town. However, if one walks about three to four blocks away from such an area, the cost of a ride is usually halved.

Another form of tourist trap that is common, particularly in tropical areas, is the timeshare trap. One will see booths lined up and down the main streets of towns that offer jeep rentals, or special outings for a minimal price. In order to actually rent a car, or attend an outing, one may lose hours of their vacation listening to a pitch about available timeshares. One can avoid this by arranging outings or rentals of cars prior to visiting an area.

To avoid the retail and dining tourist traps, it is advisable to get a good guidebook of an area or read blogs written by locals to determine places to visit. Several food and travel TV shows are also devoted to finding good value places to eat, to stay, or to finding unique activities. In this way, one may visit a place and not pay the high mark-ups and low quality goods generally accorded to tourists.

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